New study discovers skin bacteria causes rosacea

A new study has found that a bad bacteria that lives on the skin could be the root cause of the skin condition acne rosacea.

Until now no bacterial link to rosacea has ever been established and specific causes are still unknown.

The study, published in the September edition of the Journal of Medical Microbiology and carried out the National University of Ireland, found that a bacteria that lives inside tiny mites that populate the surface of the skin.

The microscopic skin mite, called Demodex folliculorum, is worm-like in shape and lives inside the hair follicles of the face. These mites increase with age and UV skin damage.

It has been established previously that the numbers of Demodex mites living in the skin of rosacea patients is higher than in normal individuals.

[quote]However what was previously not known was that a bacteria that lives inside the mites, called Bacillus oleronius, leaks into the surrounding skin tissue when the mite dies. It is this bacteria that was found to provoke immune reactions in rosacea patients, causing flare ups of the redness and small pussy spots typical of rosacea.[/quote]

The researchers concluded that targeting this bacteria could be the solution to treating rosacea.